


you're not the only one with restraint

by DevilishKurumi



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-06
Updated: 2012-05-06
Packaged: 2017-11-04 22:18:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/398805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DevilishKurumi/pseuds/DevilishKurumi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>don’t challenge me to have better control, because you’ll lose that bet.<br/>(Tony/Bruce, post-movie.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	you're not the only one with restraint

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goddamn ironman aka norr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=goddamn+ironman+aka+norr), [actual cannibal dist the rose](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=actual+cannibal+dist+the+rose).



            The first time Tony suggests doing something a little more "interesting" than playing with the gizmos in his R&D department, Bruce says no.  He doesn't try to clarify  his answer, nor does he make any effort to explain to Tony that it's not because he isn't necessarily interested - it's because one misstep and the Other Guy will show up, and the Other Guy?

            Yeah, he's not so interested in the "interesting" stuff.

            Bruce leaves New York for South America shortly after the first invitation and when Tony calls (or comes to visit, because he's the richest man in the world and he can fly wherever he wants), he never brings it up.  He talks about the Mark VII, and how he's adjusting the way it attaches because it nearly broke his wrist that one time; he talks a little about gamma radiation and once in a while he'll bring up Pepper.  Mostly only when Bruce asks after her.  (He feels a little sore, doing that.  Tony'd propositioned him, and he knows that it's just putting salt in the wound there, but he'd honestly taken a shine to her.)

            He comes back four weeks later, and Pepper compliments his tan.  Tony does too, except he asks if he's got it everywhere and hey, mind if I check it out later to make sure it's not a farmer's tan?

            Pepper laughs and quirks an eyebrow at the two of them, and says something along the lines of, "Tony, play a little harder to get in front of me, please."

            It's a joke - but it also sounds a lot like permission.

            The second time Tony propositions him (Bruce doesn't count the tan remark, since it was in front of Pepper), Bruce hesitates when he says no.  Hesitation in the face of Tony's flirtations is like nicking an artery in shark-infested waters, though, and this time he doesn't let it go.

            "Pepper already signed my permission slip, you know," he says, and he leans his hip on the counter, awfully close to Bruce.  "So, there's that."

            "You two have a strange relationship."

            "It's more like an understanding."  Tony doesn't hesitate when he pauses; he just stops long enough to swirl his drink and arch an eyebrow at the ice cubes in an exceedingly (attractive) debonair way, like he's coming on to them instead of the guy who can't have sex without crushing his partner.  "She knows how I feel about her and about how I feel for you guys.  She gets it.  We both get it."  He glances back and Bruce has a sinking feeling he's going to lose this round.  "So if it's just that I'm not your style - well.  She likes handsome, brilliant men with issues too.  Win-win, really."

            "That's not it at all," Bruce says, and yeah.  He's lost this round.

            But Tony doesn't push it and instead they take Steve to see _Total Recall_.  Steve... doesn't really like it.  Tony enjoys it way too much - but then again, it might also be because Bruce has the popcorn, and every time Tony reaches for more, his hand (or his knee, or his foot, or his whole left-hand side) brushes against Bruce.

            Bruce almost leaves for the Australian outback the following morning, but for some reason it doesn't feel like it'd be worth his time.  Instead, he and Pepper eat Cheerios while Tony takes the Mark VII on a test run.

            She nudges him with her spoon when Tony comes back, his suit dismantling around him as he approaches.  Bruce nudges her back with his hip.

            When Tony propositions him a third time, Bruce has to ask.  "Do you think my answer's going to change if you keep asking?"

            "I think your answer's already changed," Tony drawls, and pours himself a drink.  "I think you're just hesitating because you're afraid you're going to split me in two."

            Pause.  Sip.

            "Literally, because metaphorically... well, that'd be the point."

            Bruce can't help but laugh, even though it's jerky and awkward, and Tony encourages it with a shit-eating grin and a wink.

            "You're right," Bruce says, finally.  "That's exactly why I'm saying no.  It's not hesitation, Tony.  It's a refusal."

            "It's hesitation."

            "It's me trying to protect you."

            Tony's expression changes in a million subtle ways, and he places down his glass.  "I don't think it's me you need to worry about."

            Bruce takes a deep breath and lets it out.  He's got a firm control on himself, even with a slightly elevated pulse and more than a little irritation at Tony's refusal to see the danger, but deep breathing helps anyway.  "You're too..."  He smiles at Tony, a little sadly and very tightly, "You're too _you_.  Sorry, Stark, but I don't think you're the one who's going to sooth the savage beast.  Not with your... attitude."

            It's not an insult, but Tony's eyebrows raise exaggeratedly high anyway.  "Is that so?" he asks, his voice dropping a little, maybe a little hoarse but on _purpose_.  _Shit_ , Bruce thinks, _he thinks I'm challenging him_.

            Another pause.  Tony drains his drink and puts the glass on the counter.  He takes a few steps back, turns, and starts for the lift.  Bruce stares after him, and doesn't move when Tony calls over his shoulder.  "If you're really interested, and not just using the Big Green Giant as an excuse not to hook up with an insanely attractive, dashing genius with more money than god - seriously, Thor doesn't come close - then hit me up in my room."

            He pauses when he reaches the door, and Bruce is taken with how deliberate everything Tony does is.  Even things he's coming up with on the fly.  The elevator door slides open, and he steps in, turns to face Bruce and says, "And hey.  If you don't want to - if you _really_ don't want to, and not just because you're afraid you're going to lose it - well, don't come find me and we'll just do the normal 'bro' thing.  Hang out, eat pizza, take Steve to a club and laugh at him because _can you even imagine_?"

            The elevator door slides closed, but not fast enough, because Bruce still gets a clear look at Tony biting his lower lip and raising his eyebrows.  "Just saying," he says, and then he's gone.

            Now Bruce _really_ has no idea what to do.

            He paces a little, and considers his options, and even tries to muster up the courage to just _leave_.  But the way Tony looked at him from inside the elevator (and all the other ways he's looked at him, really, from the moment they started working together) - it makes him put that plan on ice.  There's no reason to run away, after all.  If he doesn't go to Tony, he knows the man will keep his word.  He'll probably still flirt, but he flirts with everyone, so that won't be a big deal.  They'd really just go back to researching and planning and building things together.

            He gets into the elevator and rides it down to the lobby, because he's not sure he can handle being around Tony after being given that particular ultimatum.  He rides it all the way down and then, when the doors open and nobody gets in, he rides it back up to the floor Tony sleeps on.  He nearly doesn't get out when the doors open, but the idea of not even giving it a _shot_ seems completely implausible.

            So Bruce gets out of the lift and walks down the hall.  He stands outside of Tony's door for five whole minutes, then knocks on the door with the back of his hand.

            "I was wondering when you'd actually get around to knocking," Tony says as he opens the door.  The room isn't just a bedroom - it's an entire studio apartment.  A home-theater system, a full bar and a kitchenette all lie within what Tony considers his bedroom in the Tower.  The bathroom has a large sliding door and one of those showers that has a waterfall showerhead above and two sets of six showerhead in either wall.  Bruce doesn't know why he notices that - he just does.  It's fancy.  He's met people who had to use a bucket of water from a river and a bar of soap to wash their whole family.

            It's a little gross, almost, how fancy it all is.  But Bruce can't dwell on that because Tony is looking at him with a lazy smirk and dark, pupil-blown eyes.  He had expected Bruce to show up.  He'd known he'd come.  Bruce isn't even slightly surprised.

            "Nice place," he says.  It's awkward, but Tony grins anyway.

            "Designed it myself.  The stereo system alone can knock Steve right out of his star-spangled boots."

            Bruce sees the bed in the back, a low wall separating it from the rest of the room.  He swallows.

            "Hey."  Tony's gotten too close while Bruce has been distracted, and it's hard not to take a step back to reassert some space.  He manages not to.  "It's all good.  Trust me, I've got this."

            "You have no idea how wrong you are about that," Bruce mumbles.  Tony rolls his eyes.  "Seriously, Tony.  You have no idea what you're messing with."

            "I think I do, considering the Hulk kind of grabbed me out of the sky and saved my life.  Remember?"

            "No."

            "That's a lie, and you know it.  Just like saying I don't know what I'm doing is a lie.  I know exactly what I'm doing.  I'm going to have you take off your shirt and lie down on the bed, okay?"  He licks his lips and Bruce stares at his mouth a little more than the rest of his face.  "You think you can do that, for starters?"

            "Pepper-"

            "Will kill me for risking the Tower's infrastructure again, yeah, yeah.  She'd do it too, and yes, I know, I'm extremely lucky to have such a loving, caring girlfriend who is totally okay with modern relationships.  Now take off your shirt, or I'm going to do it for you."  Pause.  "If you want."

            Bruce isn't sure _what_ he wants, but he's come this far already.  He starts undoing the buttons of his shirt, his fingers feeling a little numb as he does so, and his feet manage to find their way to the bed on autopilot.  He sits on the edge and looks up to see Tony standing in front of him.

            "Actually," Tony says, "This is better.  You can get up and leave any time you want, if you're sitting here.  Makes it safer."

            "Not really."

            "Sure it does."  Tony moves around to the other side; Bruce follows his movements with his eyes, turning his head when he needs to.  He climbs across the bed (seriously, it's almost too big to be even a king), settling his knees on either side of Bruce's hips.  "You can leave as soon as you feel like you need to.  No hard feelings if you do.  And if you need to, you can punch me.  That can be our safety word, here."

            "I'd rather have an actual word."  Bruce means it as a joke, but he realizes that it's actually a real necessity.  He needs to have a safety word just for... whatever is going to happen.

            "Fine.  You say _quantum mechanics_ and we're done.  I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do before I do it.  You're going to let me do whatever I'm going to do, up until it's too much.  Here's the important part, though."  Tony leans forward, but doesn't touch Bruce yet.  "You're going to have to tell me if you're getting _too_ worked up.  That's all you have to do.  Safety words and punching are reserved for serious _get up and go_ situations only, okay?"

            Bruce is quiet for a minute.  Tony doesn't move.  Finally, he nods, taking off his glasses and setting them on the bedside table.  "Okay."  He barely recognizes his own voice; it's low, a little rough and a little tremulous.

            "Good.  I'm going to put my hands on you."

            That admission goes right to Bruce's gut; he swallows thickly, but doesn't move.  Tony's hands come up to his shoulders, lightly - not teasingly, but _lightly_.  Like he's actually taking this seriously.

            He starts massaging; gently at first, then working his thumbs into the little knots that come with living on the edge of a terrible meltdown.  They're not hard to remove, but Tony does more than that; he makes Bruce sigh and slump and ease back into his grip.  It's not even that sexual, until he feels Tony's breath on his neck, coming in short, soft huffs.  These, too, also drive into his gut, then go lower, making him swallow thickly and count back from ten.  By _three_ , he's already half hard.  Tony sighs and works his hands lower on Bruce's back, and Bruce thinks about chakras and pressure points and how Tony's mouth would feel on his skin.

            "I'm going to kiss you," Tony says, and Bruce turns his head as much as he can.  Tony kisses him like how he's massaging him; lightly at first, more like a European greeting than anything, then a little firmer.  Bruce hadn't thought Tony could do things this slowly.

            He knows he can take more than this, so he lifts a hand and buries it in Tony's hair, threading it through his fingers as he presses his tongue against Tony's lips.  Tony doesn't hesitate to open his mouth, to deepen the kiss, taking it slowly but not so slowly as to tease.  It's cautious but insistent, and Bruce can feel Tony's hand move up his spine to the back of his neck.  The other hand rests on Bruce's hip.

            "We good?" Tony asks, teasing more than worrying, and Bruce smiles almost against Tony's mouth.

            "So far, so good."

            "You're surprised."

            "A little."

            He sees Tony's eyes look to the side, down a little.  "I'm going to undo your pants.  Looks like you could use that."

            Bruce huffs out a laugh.  "Okay."

            He doesn't know what he expected, but when he feels Tony's hand drop to the fly of his pants, a stone settles in his stomach.  This is where it's going to get to be too much.  Tony's going to touch him, and he's going to get worked up because he hasn't had anyone touch him for way too long, and then he's going to lose it just enough to do something stupid, and -

            "Whoa."

            Tony's hand on his zipper doesn't move; the other slips up his neck, into his hair, and he pets Bruce's scalp.  "Hold up there, negative Nancy.  I can pretty much feel you freaking out on me.  Just-"

            "Please," Bruce says, and he feels horrible when he hears how sad and fretful his voice is.  "Don't tell me to calm down."

            "I wasn't planning on it."  Tony's hand smoothes Bruce's hair back from his face.  "See, calming down isn't exactly going to make what we're gonna do easier.  Since, you know."  He smirks.  "I kind of need you a little wound up.  I was going to say take a deep breath.  In," he instructs, and Bruce listens, sucking in air between their mouths.  "...And out."  Bruce exhales, and Tony's hand presses against the zipper of his pants, rubbing his palm against Bruce's arousal.  Bruce takes another deep breath and lets it out.  "There you go."

            "Christ."

            "It's not about calming down, I think," Tony says.  "You've got a lock on this thing as it is, you know."  He keeps rubbing, feeling the outline of Bruce's dick through his pants, and Bruce draws in one more shuddering breath.  "It's about building up.  Not teasing, not throwing you down on the bed and riding you like a show pony."

            Bruce laughs, a little frantically.

            "You're not gonna get to do that kind of thing.  You're gonna just have to make do with me telling you what's going on.  I'm going to unzip your fly."  He does it.  "And I'm going to undo the button, while we're at it."  He does that, too.  Bruce sighs as the strain lessens, a little.  "You're not incapable of controlling yourself.  We've already covered that, with the whole 'I'm always angry' spiel.  But you can lose it, if you're not careful.  So we're going to take this slow, and I'm going to get you all the way through it without you needing to bail on me."

            "Tony..."

            "You okay with that?"

            Bruce nods and reminds himself that he can punch Tony if it gets to be too much.  That's a strangely reassuring notion. 

            He wonders why Tony's so adamant.  It's probably the challenge, the delicate balance between _Bruce_ _and_ _Hulk_.  Tony does things because they're dangerous; because he wants to see how close he can get to dying without going through with it.  Bruce is pretty sure that's part of the reason why he flew a nuclear warhead into another universe - just to see how that would work out.  To see if he'd make it.

            He did.  And that's probably given him a feeling of invulnerability.  After all, if he can survive flying out into space - why can't he survive this?

            It's a false sense of safety.

            Tony's hand works Bruce over through his briefs, methodical, slow, like a scientist who has a really weird kink for experiments.  Bruce groans - he can go farther than this, but he doesn't want to yet.  He doesn't want to actually push the limits, because once in a while it's nice to not have the Other Guy brushing up against his consciousness.  He feels Tony's chin on his shoulder and he sags backwards, thankfully, into the other man.  He can feel how hard Tony is, and that just makes his own cock twitch and his whole body tense.

            "In," Tony orders.  Bruce inhales.  "Out."  He exhales.

            "You're going to build me up too much, if you keep going like this," Bruce says, his voice pitched slightly towards a whine.  Tony grins against his cheek.

            "I got this.  Don't worry.  Let's see what we're working with here."  Tony's hand slips through the slit in Bruce's underwear, casual as a fucking handshake, and wraps his hand around the other.  He whistles low and short and says, "Man.  I hope it's not the gamma that did that."

            Bruce's laugh hitches in his throat as Tony strokes him, and he turns his head to kiss Tony's jawline.  It's all he can reach like this - not that he minds so much.  Tony hums as his hand works Bruce over, steady and firm and not teasing in the slightest.  They both know they're going to have to go faster than this, and Bruce knows he can handle it, but it's been a very long time and he's not sure about how _much_ of it he can handle.

            "I'm gonna move, and you're gonna lie back, alright?  Punching is now officially a viable option."

            As if it hadn't been before.  Tony moves backwards on his knees, his hands leaving Bruce, and the man whines down in his throat, bracing himself until he can feel Tony sliding off the bed.  Then, he does what Tony asked; he lies back, staring up at the ceiling and thinking, _gee.  This is something new._

            Tony walks around the bed, pulling off his shirt as he goes, and he vaguely calls out, "Lights out."  Everything but the bedside table lamp dims to almost 0%, and Bruce feels a little awkward because that means Jarvis is watching.  That's kind of freaky to think about.

            He decides to ignore that sudden feeling of being watched, and looks across his body to watch Tony.  The arc reactor is glowing in his chest, not overly bright, and something about that reassures Bruce.  It reminds him that Tony kind of gets it, even if they're not dealing with the same monster.  He closes his eyes.

            "Just letting you know," Tony says near his feet, which are still hanging over the side of the bed, "I know I could probably get a lot more grabby with you.  But this is a matter of pride, and you sort of brought it on yourself."

            Bruce huffs when he feels Tony's hands on his knees, feeling him put weight on his limbs as he kneels down.  "With the _you're too you_ comment, right?"

            "Yep."

            "Sorry."

            "It's okay.  I'm gonna touch you again."  His hand finds Bruce's arousal and strokes, long and firm and steady.  Bruce inhales and lets his breath out in a shuddering gasp.  "That's sort of the point, you know.  I'm all about being too _me_.  Being me is awesome."  Tony's voice drops off, and Bruce listens to the quiet sound of skin on skin ad feels the other's breath on the inside of his thigh.  He swallows.  "But you don't break a new car in by driving it off a cliff on your first ride."

            "That's..."  Bruce swallows again and rocks his hips when he feels Tony's hand slow.  Tony chuckles.  "That's a really bad analogy."

            "Hey, I'm kind of coming up with this on the fly.  Give a guy a break.  Anyone ever tell you that you're a really hairy guy?"

            Bruce thinks briefly of Betty, and nods wordlessly.

            "Not a bad thing, by the way."  Tony sounds like he knows he might've hit a nerve of sorts, but he pushes past it.  "It suits you.  Down for more?"

            When Bruce doesn't respond right away, Tony kisses his thigh.  Bruce rocks his hips again and nods against the sheets.  " _God_ ," he murmurs, "Yes."

            Tony doesn't tell him what's coming next, and it's kind of a blessing because Bruce needs a little mystery in this.  When he feels the other breathe over the head of his cock, he gasps and shudders and _knows_ that this is going to be really, painfully short.  Probably to the point of embarrassment.

            When Tony's mouth sinks down and swallows him bit by bit, hot and wet and apparently obscenely talented, Bruce is even more certain this isn't going to take long at all.  He inhales and exhales a few more times as Tony works the head, then tilts his head back and groans quietly to himself.  Tony hums out an appreciative noise and takes more into his mouth, using more of the tip of his tongue than the rest of it to tease Bruce, to rile him up in a way he can handle.  Well, he thinks he can handle it, at least.

            He pushes himself up on his elbows and looks at Tony, watching the way his mouth works around him and noticing the way his expression changes when Bruce brushes up against the back of his throat.  Tony looks up at him then, and Bruce realizes he's not controlling his breathing at all.  He's panting, feeling weighed down by how turned on he is, and his hand reaches out without a thought to guide it.  He runs his hand through Tony's hair, watching the other's eyes flutter at the movement.  Tony leans back into Bruce's hand, sliding some of him out of his mouth, and Bruce doesn't realize he's pushing him back down until he feels Tony swallow around him, pulling him into his throat.

            "Shit," Bruce murmurs.  "Tony."

            Tony hums and hollows his cheeks as he sucks him off, one hand on Bruce's knee and the other between his own legs; he can hear a zipper and can feel Tony groan against him, a tremor in his shoulders that hadn't been there a moment before.  He feels a little bad, because he should be helping Tony out, but -

            " _Christ_ ," he murmurs.  "I-"  Tony's head tilts, nudges Bruce's hand, and Bruce strokes the hair at his temple.  Tony bobs his head until Bruce's hand is so used to the motion that it does it for him; a little groan of reassurance keeps Bruce guiding Tony's movements.  He pushes him a little faster, tries to get more, because now he's starting to feel too built up and he knows he needs release -

            His heart-rate increases.  He notes it, but it's not very bad and he can handle this.  He can handle it up until Tony's lower teeth press against the vein on the underside of his dick.  He moans, much louder than he's done all night, fisting his hand in Tony's hair, and Tony hums and tries it again.

            His hips jerk and he hears his pulse thudding in his ears, heavy and fast and no, no, _no_ -

            He inhales, and feels a shudder run from the base of his skull all the way down his spine.  With it, he feels the pressure in his gut uncurl, and Tony makes a low, keening noise against Bruce's dick as he swallows around him.  The brick-wall edge between Bruce and the _Other Guy_ is looming just ahead, but it's thankfully out of reach.  He's not worked up enough.  The only reason it got so bad is because he panicked.

            Bruce starts laughing, raspy and breathless, and Tony pulls his mouth away with a satisfied growl and a lot of lip-licking.  He stays crouched in front of Bruce, shuddering himself, and his hand grips Bruce's knee for balance.

            "One sec," he says, but Bruce is already sitting up, reaching down and pulling Tony's hand away.  He's not exactly proficient in getting another man off, but he ushers Tony to stand anyway, his hands finding Tony's hips and brushing along the sagging hemline of his sweatpants.  He follows it down to Tony's cock, heavy and red and intimidating out of the sheer fact that Bruce really hasn't ever done this sort of thing before.

            But he hasn't been touched by anyone in years, not like _this_ , and he's never risked letting himself get this close to the edge for something as stupid as a blowjob.  Tony risked his life for him and the least Bruce can do is wrap a hand around the base of Tony's arousal and give it an experimental, flat-tongued lick.

            " _Shit_ ," Tony mumbles, a hand coming up to Bruce's shoulder, then to his hair, tangling in it.  "Admittedly - wasn't expecting that."

            "Neither was I," Bruce mumbles, and he tries again, working his hand a little at the same time.  Tony mumbles thoughtlessly, hips twitching but not bucking because he can tell Bruce is new to this.  Bruce, for all his spirit of adventure, gives up after a minute and settles for using his hand, bringing off Tony without any real trouble.  Tony hunches forward, bending at the waist and pressing his face into the top of Bruce's head as he comes, grunting and bucking a little until he's spent.

            "Shit," he says again, more coherently, with a little laugh in his voice.  Bruce smiles and tilts his head back to kiss Tony's jaw.  He's not even sure if that's something that should be allowed, if kissing isn't part of the after-sex routine with Tony, but he wants it to be.  And apparently it is, because Tony moves until his mouth is against Bruce's, insistent and more spontaneous than before, more... well, more _Tony_.  Like he's decided he's proven his point, that he can be restrained enough to have sex with a guy who can't get too riled up.

            Bruce supposes he's done that pretty damned flawlessly.  He chuckles into Tony's mouth and wipes sweat from the short hair on the nape of the other man's neck, massaging a little until Tony pulls away and quirks an eyebrow at him.  He looks smug.

            "So."

            Bruce smiles.  "So."

            "Wanna watch a movie?"

            To Tony's credit, he manages to hold Bruce's gaze for a full fifteen seconds without cracking; but sure enough, his smug half-smirk turns into a full, shit-eating grin, and Bruce can practically hear the AC/DC victory tune Tony's mind is playing for him.  He laughs and nods, "Sure.  A movie sounds good," because there's not much else to say.

            Tony wanders off to the flatscreen on the other side of the room, hiking his pants up as he goes, and Bruce uses the bathroom to clean up.  He finds himself looking into the mirror for too long, trying to see if maybe the Other Guy is really going to let all that slide - but nothing changes, and so he meanders out to Tony.  He's already got the movie set up - _A New Hope_ \- and he doesn't hesitate to pull Bruce over when the man sits down.

            It turns out that Tony's kind of a cuddler.  That's okay.  It's actually more than okay.  Bruce can definitely live with that.


End file.
